Eli Roth-produced 'The Last Exorcism' Gets Rating, Horror Fans Sigh

A lot of buzz has been created surround the Eli Roth-produced The Last Exorcism. In addition to the official website and Facebook page, a website for protagonist Cotton Marcus has been created that states the preacher's mission. The Daniel Stamm-directed film, which gets released August 27th, has been a hot item for most horror fans, so you can imagine the consternation that resulted when it was revealed that the MPAA has given The Last Exorcism a PG-13 rating.

This is confusing for two reason: one, the reason for the rating is apparently due to "disturbing violent content and terror, some sexual references and thematic material;" and two, have you seen the trailer? The incredibly vague "thematic material" aside, the trailer is genuinely creepy, giving off a vibe reminiscent of the few good parts of The Exorcism of Emily Rose and the inherent spookiness of Paranormal Activity. But will the PG-13 be a problem?

A few notes on this. Typically, one would expect most horror films to be rated R for one of three reasons: excessive blood/gore, pervasive nudity, and several instances of the f-word (see Planes, Trains & Automobiles for a good example of this). When it comes to horror, especially a film such as The Last Exorcism, an R-rating might not even be necessary. The film looks pretty creepy in its own right, and an "R" rating would be, if anything, symbolic of its stature as a horror film. Fear is subjective, and the elements contained within the film need not benefit from a silly rating to frighten the viewer. I'm incredibly eager to see this film, and provided it's not populated solely with jump scares, I think we're in for a real treat.

Mad props to Dread Central for the info. Check out the synopsis and trailer after the jump.